Life in Castanet
by jibiryan
Summary: So I got assigned to Castanet Island. I'm pretty sure I'll be enjoying my work in there, seeing that there's an old friend and all. It's too bad that every time I think positively, it'll turn upside down in an instant. VaughnxRenee and other pairings.
1. Arrival

**Author's note: I've always wanted to write a Harvest Moon fanfic for quite a while. The thing is, I think it's too... mainstream to do another VaughnxChelsea fic. So I decided to do something different. Vaughn is my favorite character, and Animal Parade is my favorite universe, so what the hell, I'll just throw him in there and see how this would turn out. I don't plan much, I like to keep things flowing naturally.**

**I'm aiming for a VERY light-hearted story. It won't have any hints of darkness in it. I've never done this before, and I hope it'll turn out to be enjoyable. I hope.**

* * *

"First time sailing to Castanet, son?"

The old and raspy voice snapped me out of my dreams. I looked up to see a man in his 50s, with a captain's hat on top of his head.

"Yeah, I'm the new animal dealer." I nodded my head. "The name's Vaughn."

"Pleasure to meet you, Vaughn." The sailor replied. You could see by the shine in his eyes that he had seen many wonders of the sea. "This old man goes by the name o' Pascal, by the way."

I nodded in acknowledgement. The sound of seagulls and waves filled the silence for a short while, before I decided to do their job.

"Tell me about Castanet." I started.

"Not much to tell, really." He replied, taking out a wooden pipe from his pocket. With one swift motion, he lit it up. "They got everything to survive. Bar, inn, ranch, hospital. And of course, a great, great scenery to get away from the lights and smokes of the city."

"That last thing is all I need." I stated. "Any ranchers other than the Smiths?"

"Well, there's Cain and Hanna along with their daughter." He puffed on his pipe. "Good bunch, them. Ain't seen a more pleasant sight. You'll know what I mean when you see them."

"Tell me about the Smiths." I threw in another question.

"Kasey and Molly Smith, they moved to Castanet around 2 years ago. Hard working young'uns, those two."

"Anything else I should know?"

Pascal hums to himself, placing a hand under his chin. "Well, I could say that a few years ago, this island was nearly on its death. Crops dying, fishes swimmin' away, and even the wind refused to blow!" He shook his head, probably remembering the trying times he passed by. "That young rancher, though, I assume he got some magic on his hands. After he appeared with his sister, things got better, bit by bit. And now, the place got its feet back up, even better than it was."

"Interesting." I crossed my arms. That story truly caught my interests. "So you treat Kasey and Molly as heroes in Castanet?"

The captain let out a booming laugh. If someone with a bad heart lived with this guy, he would be having a hard time staying alive.

"Well, not openly. We don't bow before them, we don't feed them grapes while they're sitting on the throne. We thank them, with all our hearts, but they just waved it off like it was nothing. They're a lovely bunch, those siblings."

"I see. Thanks for the story. Anyway, is that the island?"

Pascal turned his head towards the direction I was pointing. From far away, a huge island entered the sight. I could see a tall mountain standing strong, piercing the pure white clouds, its top unseen. The town was seen from here. It looked quite... colorful.

"Yep. A beauty, isn't she?"

I gotta say, I'm quite amused. A huge island is much better than small, clustered ones. I guess what Kasey said was true, this place is quite magical.

We reached the docks in a matter of minutes. I grabbed my suitcase and walked the wooden plank to the land. I turned my back to the old sailor before venturing further.

"Thanks for the ride, Pascal." I tipped my hat. "Fair winds and following seas."

"Not a problem, cowboy." He waved his hand swiftly, getting back to his ship.

I turned my back to observe the place a bit more. At the docks, there was a small building with a sign that read 'Fishery'. To my left, there was a lighthouse. I noticed that there was no single soul around. Shrugging it off, I decided to head to the bar for some info.

A bit of walking, I found a sign that read 'Brass Bar'. Opening the door, the bell above me rang, gaining the attention of the people inside. I saw a blonde in a cowgirl outfit by the bar, a built, bald man behind it, and a glimpse of a peach colored hair in the kitchen.

"Welcome! A newcomer, huh? Come, come, have a seat!" The blonde girl greeted me with overloaded enthusiasm.

"I'm just looking for some info, if you don't mind." I replied.

"Is that so? Well, too bad." She feigned disappointment for some reason. "You'll miss your chance to get a free drink, y'know?"

"Free drink?" I tilted my head.

"Yeah, we always give out a free drink to a new customer. You won't get one if you come here later on."

"In that case, I'll have a beer." I stated, not wanting to miss a chance to get anything for free.

The waitress piqued up once again, her emerald eyes sparked energetically. "Alright, then. Have a seat!"

I shrugged and walked over to the bar. As I sat down, a cold bottle of beer was placed in front of me.

"Thanks." I muttered.

"No problem." The bearded man said. "So what's your business in Castanet?"

"I'm looking for a guy named Kasey."

"Kasey?" The waitress interrupted. "W-why are you looking for him?" she looked flustered for some reason.

"I'm the new animal dealer in here. I should be starting next week or so. Now, I'm just going to observe – get a good grasp of the place."

"I see. So you're going to come here often, then?"

"I'm gonna be here on Wednesdays and Thursdays."

"We're gonna need to get better acquainted, then." The bartender offered his hand. "Hayden."

"Vaughn." I took his hand, shaking it.

"I'm Kathy. Pleased to meet you, Vaughn!" The blonde exclaimed cheerfully.

"Who's the guy at the back?" I nodded my head towards the kitchen.

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot. Hey, Chase!" Kathy shouted.

"What?" Came a muffled sound. The man seemed reluctant.

"Get yer ass in here for a sec!"

After a few seconds, a lanky man appeared. He had a messy peach colored hair, three bobby pins holding it up on one side. His violet eyes showed a bit of annoyance, probably from the interruption. He wore a white shirt, covered with a green apron on top of it.

"This is the greatest chef in all of Castanet!" Kathy presented the guy like he was a superstar. The peach haired man sighed and pressed the palm of his hand to his face.

"Shut it, Kathy." He responded. "I'm Chase, the 'Greatest Chef in all of Castanet'" he said, sarcastically.

I chuckled a bit. "Vaughn. You sure you deserve that title?"

"That's a bit of a stretch, I'm still far from Yolanda." Chase replied, crossing his arms. "Though there are other great cooks out there. Molly is one. And by law, every time there's something good, the opposite exists as well."

"Who is this 'opposite'?"

"Maya."

"How bad?"

"You know the kind that gets better from time to time? Yeah, she's not that kind."

"I'll keep that in mind." I took another swig of my beer. "So where is Kasey's farm located?"

"It's to the east. Just follow the dirt path, you won't miss it." Kathy pointed her index finger towards the east. "I can take you there if you want!" her eyes lit up with excitement, leaning closer to me.

"No you can't" her father interrupted. "You're on duty."

"But Dad-"

"No's a no."

"It's alright, I can go by myself." I stated, stopping the two before they went to an all-out verbal war.

"Okay, then." Kathy sighed, hanging her head. "Just tell Kasey I said hi."

"Got it." I stood up, fixing my hat a bit. "Thanks for the drink, Hayden."

"Sure thing. Stop by when you have the time." The bald man said.

"Will do." I tipped my hat.

I went out to be greeted with the spring breeze once again. It was a bit hot for a spring day, but I could live with it. At least the heat wasn't as deadly as summertime.

I guess what Kasey said is true. This place is interesting. Let's just hope it doesn't get _too_ interesting, though. I really don't want to deal with wackos. Let's see… east should be over yonder…

I walked over to the dirt path leading to Kasey's farm. I passed by a camera shop and the town hall as I did, making a note to myself that I should have a talk with the mayor sometime soon.

After a minute or two of walking, I saw a field full of crops, greener than any grass in this world. The sight was quite amusing. To think that those two would be this successful already, it's a bit disturbing. In a good way, of course.

Three buildings stood firmly behind the field of green. The first one was a two story house. It wasn't huge, nor was it small. I figured it was enough for two people. A coop and a barn stood beside it. The latter didn't look very pretty, maybe Kasey hasn't looked up into getting livestock yet.

I ventured a bit further into their property. As I was in the strawberry fields, I saw a familiar figure. A young lady with a short brown hair, with bangs on the sides that curl inside. Her brown eyes were narrowed as a small smile graced her lips. She was inspecting the strawberries, moving sideways one crop after the other.

With just one glance, you might say that she's a perfect image of a simple and gentle girl, the one that could bring you a warm and fuzzy feeling every time she talks, the one that could melt your stone heart in an instant.

Well, you're wrong, you dumb cock.

"Molly!" I shouted, gaining her attention.

Molly turned her attention away from the strawberries for a short while. She widened her eyes as she saw me, a mix of surprise and happiness was seen on her face.

"Vaughn!" She exclaimed, running up to me.

You might expect a small hug at this point. Well, I regret to inform you that that is not how she greets people – especially an old friend.

It's a flying kick. To the face.

Thankfully, though, I managed to dodge the attack by ducking at the right time. I had gotten used to Molly's sudden attacks, and I always expected the worst.

"Better luck next time." I said, turning to face her.

"Hah, it's been a long time." She grinned, punching me in the shoulder. "You haven't change at all."

"You're a bit taller." I said, observing her.

"And stronger." She laughed, gesturing at the farmlands. "Farm work, they're good for training your muscles."

"Where's Kasey?" I asked, looking around for a certain brown haired man.

"Inside." She pointed at the house. "He's been working pretty hard lately. That guy just doesn't know his limits."

"You need to remind him that he's getting older by the day." I stated. We started walking towards the house side by side. "That's your job as his sister."

"Yeah, I know. But I think I know someone more suitable for the job."

"Who?"

"A spouse."

"That's… not going to happen. I don't think Kasey is interested in that kind of thing. Hell, he's interested in everything, but not that."

"It's possible. People change, y'know?"

"Who knows." I answered shortly.

I opened the wooden door to see a well-furnished interior. To the right were the kitchen and a dining table, and to the left were the living quarters. They had a TV with a few game consoles on the cabinet. A huge couch rested a few steps away from the TV, it seemed to be newly bought. The walls were white, clean as a doctor's suit. A few paintings were hung, though not too many to make the place look 'full'.

"Not bad." I nodded my head in approval.

"Kasey! Vaughn's here!" Molly let out a booming voice.

I heard a series of noises upstairs. It consisted of a few thuds that lasted a few seconds. There was silence before a man came crashing down the stairs, making yet another series of noise. He was just like I remembered him. Brown eyes and hair, broad shoulders, and an unmatched energy like that of a cat.

"Oww…" Kasey groaned in pain.

"The hell were you doing?" I asked, giving him a hand.

"Sleeping." He took my hand and stood up, chuckling a bit. "It's been a while, Vaughn." he said, his voice still gruffy.

"Yeah. Three years?"

"Four." He corrected, tumbling over to the kitchen. "I thought you're starting next week."

"I am. I'm just visiting right now, get a good grasp of the place." I placed my suitcase on the hardwood floor, taking my hat off. "You didn't tell me where your place was, I had to ask the locals."

"That's what you need, partner. Socializing."

"I'm fine without it."

"So who did you meet on your way?" Molly asked, her eyes sparked in interest.

"Hayden and his daughter, and the chef, Chase."

"Did Chase say something about me?"

"Uhh… I think he said that you're a great cook." I stated, thinking that it might make Molly happy.

"That bastard!"

Whoops.

"Why, what's wrong?" I asked.

"He never said that to me before. All he ever did was tossing snarky remarks at me!" Molly gritted her teeth in anger.

"Chase is currently helping Molly with her cooking." Kasey piped in, a cup of coffee in his hand. "He's just that kind of guy. Y'know, the kind who puts pride over anything. Sounds like someone I know." He smirked.

I frowned at his last statement.

"Whatever." I scoffed. "Kathy said hi, by the way." I stated.

"I-is that so…" the rancher stuttered, shifting his eyes away. "I'll stop by her place tonight, then."

"Anything interesting in here that I should check out?"

Kasey placed a hand under his chin, lost in deep thought. "For something related to your profession, you should check out Horn Ranch on Flute Fields. It's east from here." he pointed towards the said direction.

"What about it?"

"It's quite a huge ranch owned by Cain and Hanna. They provide dairy supplies: milk, eggs and all that. But you might be interested in their daughter, Renee."

"I honestly couldn't care less about some rancher's daughter. But what makes you say that?"

"Renee is my best friend!" Molly exclaimed. "She's just like you in terms of handling animals, Vaughn. Though she won't scare people away when they make an attempt to talk to her." She giggled.

"Shut up." I spat. "So Horn Ranch, east from here. I'll visit it later, maybe tomorrow." I stretched a bit, hearing a few popping sounds from my back.

"For now, I just need a good ol' nap."

* * *

**So... thoughts?**


	2. Crescent Fresh

_I'm just a chick, so answer me quick  
I love Jethro Tull's song'Thick as a Brick'  
But is he Crescent Fresh?  
Please I'm so distressed_

"Uuugh…"

I slowly regained consciousness as the music continued. The source was unknown, and I was quite annoyed by it. Deciding to pay no heed to it, I shut my eyes yet again.

_Tullity-tool his flutity-flute  
Though it seems un-cress, he rocks with the best  
So, yes he's Crescent Fresh  
Aqualung, my friend_

I finally got up in annoyance. Kasey was sitting there by the computer, humming along with the song.

"What the hell is up with that song?" I asked in irritation.

"It's just the internet, Vaughn." Kasey chuckled. "Had a good sleep?"

"How long was I out?" I rubbed my eyes as I let out a yawn.

"3 hours. It's 3 PM now."

"Slept like a baby." I muttered.

I feel quite refreshed now. I suppose taking a walk would be best in this time of the day.

"I'm gonna have a walk around town." I announced, putting on my hat.

"Got it. I have a question before you go, though." Kasey stated, his eyes still nailed at the computer screen.

"What?"

"Are you crescent fresh?"

* * *

After a cup of coffee, I left the Smith residence. The sun was beginning to set, rendering the whole place in an orange colored glow. I slowly strode my legs towards the town, enjoying every second of the journey.

As I reached the town, though, not a single person was seen. It was like a dead town, with ghosts that come out at night to haunt the people who decided to disturb their peace. I pondered on my mind whether these people are anti-social or just plain don't like outsiders.

Preposterous. The folks at the bar are a contradiction to that theory. This silence isn't natural. It feels… staged somehow.

"Ah, got one!"

The ringing voice snapped me out of my dreams. I turned my head towards the source to see a girl by the docks.

She was a bit short, a little less than average. She had a short brown hair, complete with brown eyes to match it. She wore a simple rancher's outfit that went down to her knees. I'm no fashion counselor, but that outfit fits her pretty well for some reason. It just clicks.

I noticed that she was holding a fishing pole made out of bamboo in her hands, and quite a huge basket sat there beside her feet.

I contemplated whether to greet her or just leave her be. The latter might be best. I don't know much about fishing, but I know it takes quite a bit of concentration to pull. Talking to her would make her-

"AH! A big one!"

Does this girl always have to announce what she has in mind? For Goddess' sake!

I watched her struggle for quite a while. It was quite an amusing sight, to see someone working so hard to get what they want.

"Gah… Help!"

Okay… so much for working hard.

I sighed and walked over to her. As she noticed my presence, though, a disaster happened.

Due to turning her attention away from the line for a brief second, she lost her balance and was pulled in by the fish. I let out a gasp of surprise before my reflex acted up. I managed to wrap my arm around her small waist and pulled her. I fell on my back, bringing her with me. The girl let out an 'oof' as her head bumped my chest.

"Grrhhh…" I groaned. "You alright?"

"I… I'm fine."

The girl got up, inspecting herself for any injuries. Thankfully, there were none. I let out a sigh of relief as I sat straight, fixing my hat to its usual position.

"Thanks for saving me, Mister!" The rancher girl bowed a bit, smiling cheerfully at me.

Ugh… being called 'Mister' seems so wrong.

"It's nothing." I stood up, dusting my pants. "You really need to pay attention at what you're doing."

She laughed nervously, rubbing her head. "Yeah, it's just that the fish is too big-" she turned her head towards the previous spot she had fished. "AAH! My fishing rod!"

I shifted my eyes towards the floating bamboo. It was dragged away towards the center of the sea, slowly and beautifully sailing into the unknown. Bye-bye, fishing rod. May you find peace in the afterlife.

"It's just a bamboo rod." I stated.

"Well, yeah… but." She sighed, shaking her head. "Ah, well… maybe it's finally time for us to part. Destiny is cruel sometimes."

I'm starting to think that I should get this girl to an asylum.

"By the way, I haven't seen you around here before, sir." She turned to me, showing a small smile.

"I'll be the animal dealer starting next week. And for your information, I'm not as old as you think." I said, getting a bit annoyed at what she called me.

"You can't fool me." She leaned closer, inspecting my face with narrowed eyes. Her lips pursed in concentration. "You're in denial, mister."

"I'm 21." I pressed the palm of my hand to my face. "My hair is naturally white."

"Oh, I see." She raised both of her eyebrows. "Sorry for that." She laughed.

"Glad to have that straightened out."

"I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Renee Marston." Renee offered her hand.

"Vaughn. Vaughn Wesson." I shook her hand. It was pretty small for a rancher, and it felt comfortingly warm for some reason. "I've heard you got a ranch."

"Yes. Actually, my parents own it. I'm just helping out. But enough about me, tell me about yourself."

"I'd rather not." I refused.

"Come on, I'm curious." Renee nagged.

"I'm just an old friend of the Smiths. Kasey called me over. That's all you need to know."

"Ooh, the mysterious type, huh?" The rancher girl leaned closer to me. "What's your secret? Yakuza? CIA? A son of a mercenary with a musical talent?"

Where the hell did that last bit came from?

"I just don't think it's interesting to talk about. And I'm not quite the talker, either."

"Okay, I understand." She pulled back, nodding her head.

Renee turned away towards the sea, her eyes fixed at the beautiful sunset ahead of her. I stared at her face from the side for quite a while.

That smile of hers… it feels very comforting for some reason. I can't take my eyes off her that easily. It feels like I got sucked in – hypnotized. The soft glow from the sun helped the sight pretty well, it amplified the gentle feeling this girl had in her smile.

After a few seconds, it seemed she noticed that a pair of eyes was monitoring her like a hawk. She turned her head to me, to which I reacted by looking away quickly.

"What, is there something on my face?" She asked innocently.

"No, nothing." I muttered, slightly pulling down the brim of my hat.

"Hmm." She hummed. I kept my eyes fixed at the ocean, crossing my arms whilst shifting uncomfortably.

"Yoink!"

Before I knew it, my hat was gone from my head. I snapped out of my dreams and turned my back quickly. Renee stood there, sticking her tongue out with my hat on her head.

"Give that back." I made an attempt at intimidation, threatening her with a glare.

"If you can catch me." She taunted before running off towards the town.

"Goddamnit!" I chased after her, going as fast as my boots would take me.

Renee let out a playful laugh as she ran around the town, keeping one hand at the hat to keep it from falling off. It took me a while to realize that all of my attempts at overtaking her were futile. Her boots were lighter, her stamina was undoubtedly nearly infinite, and she certainly didn't smoke during her teenage years.

I'm fighting a losing battle.

Looks like I have to get a bit creative. One thing I always have since I was born is the natural talent of sneaking. I'm going to use that to my advantage. I took a look around for some props I could use. It didn't take a second before I found something… classy.

I stopped for a while to catch my breath. While the hat stealer wasn't looking, I quickly hid myself in an empty cardboard box located in front of the bar.

I could hear Renee's footsteps slowing down. I took a peek to see her turning her head around, looking confused.

"Where did he…"

She crossed her arms, her eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to figure out where I went. After a few seconds, she turned her head to the bar.

"Hmm."

I nearly smirked in victory as I saw her walking to the building. As she opened the door, I quietly made my way out of the safest haven ever created – the cardboard box.

"Kathy, have you seen a white haired guy dressed in black anywhere?" Renee asked the waitress.

"You mean Vaughn?" Kathy raised an eyebrow as she saw me. "He's right behind you."

The rancher quickly made a 180° turn. I saw a glimpse of her surprised face before I snatched my hat away from her.

"Gotcha now." I said, placing my hat back to its place.

"You cheated!" Renee exclaimed.

"It's called 'critical thinking'." I corrected her.

"You guys mind explaining what the hell is going on?" Kathy interrupted, placing a hand on her hip.

We took a seat and explained the previous events at the waitress. The bar was quiet, Hayden said that the patrons usually showed up at night. I ordered a beer to regain my lost stamina, while Renee got herself a cranberry juice.

"So let me get this straight…" Kathy closed her eyes, her eyebrows locked. "What you two did, was running around town chasing after each other, while you both just met a few minutes ago."

"And you're both adults." Chase commented.

"She started it." I said, taking a swig.

"I guess not." The chef shrugged.

"Well, it's alright to be childish once in a while, don't you think?" Renee smiled cheerfully.

"As long as you don't cry for candy, I guess it's alright." Kathy scoffed.

I continued my drink in silence. Renee was having small chats with Chase, talking about various fishes and how they taste. I stared at the rancher for a few seconds before a voice interrupted me.

"That's Renee for you."

I turned my head to see Kathy in front of me, leaning at the bar. She smiled softly as her eyes were fixed at the eccentric girl.

"She's always cheerful, no matter where and when. She could have fun with everything, and she could make the others around her feel at ease. Quite the interesting girl, isn't she?"

"Couldn't agree more." I answered shortly.

"There's just something in her that can't be explained with words." The blonde chuckled. "So what do you think of her?"

"She's…" I paused as I racked my brain to find the right words to describe her. After a while, though, I found a suitable one.

"Crescent Fresh."


	3. Some Kind of Magic

**Author's note: Thank you for the reviews! It's good to see someone reading this weird story.**

* * *

**Narwhale1: Try Sunshine Islands! If you're a girl, marry Vaughn! If you're a boy, befriend him! He's a cool guy. Thanks for the review!**

**IHopeYouDance: But I don't dance! What should I do!  
**

**About Vaughn being a bit too social, I actually am going for that. I think of this story as an 'aftermath'. Everyone's happy and untroubled, and all that's left is just hilarity and idiocy, and a few life lessons. I'm thinking of making him cynical instead. Less rude, but more of a witty commentator, kinda like Chase. Thanks for the review!**

* * *

Hayden was true to his words, the bar patrons came one after another as the moon started to rise. I met a few new folks, including the blue-haired lumberjack Luke and his father Dale. Kasey and Molly had come, helping me get along with the others.

"So you're an animal dealer?" Luke asked me, his cat eyes sparked with excitement like those of a child.

"Yeah." I answered shortly.

"Awesome! Do you deal with lions and all that?"

I let out an irritated sigh. "No. I deal livestock."

"So you haven't seen a lion?"

For Goddess' sake, what the hell is wrong with this man's head! So livestock dealers haven't seen lions before? Logic doesn't work that way!

As I started to wonder what kind of noises he would make if I stabbed his eyes with those toothpicks by the table, a savior appeared from behind.

"Hey, Luke. Worked hard today?" A feminine, seductive voice rang.

I turned my head to see a woman in a belly dancer outfit. She was a redhead with violet eyes, and a tanned skin that gave off an exotic feeling around her. Her smile was sharp, as if she could tug a man's heartstrings with just a glance.

"Sure did!" the high-spirited lumberjack exclaimed. He seemed too happy seeing the dancer.

"Ah, yeah, you haven't met before." Kasey piped in. He was sitting beside me with a shot of whiskey in his hand. "Selena, this is my old friend Vaughn." He gestured his hand towards me.

"Well, hello cowboy." She turned her attention to me, her smile still attached. "I'm Selena, the dancer in this bar."

"Vaughn." I replied. "Aren't you cold, wearing an outfit like that?"

I could hear Kasey choking on his whiskey. Feel the burn.

"It's part of the job. Like it or not, I have to." Selena's smile changed into a less seductive one, you could even say that it was a sweet smile. "Though I kinda like it, so I don't have a problem with it."

A hard working woman, huh? I don't like the idea of entertaining people with your body, but as long as she enjoys it, I see no problem.

"Good for you, then."

"Selena, it's time!" Kathy shouted, gaining the attention of the dancer.

"Well, then. I'll see you around, Vaughn." The redhead waved at me, walking away towards the stage. She gave Luke a wink before starting the dance.

"Selena is the daughter of the innkeepers over at Toucan Island." Luke began, taking a swig of his beer.

"Toucan Island?" I asked.

"It's a very small island not far from here. You can ask Pascal for a ride." He explained. "Anyways, her parents weren't sure whether they should listen to their daughter's demands or to keep her under their arms."

"Selena wasn't allowed to work here before?"

"Yep. Overprotective parents, y'know." Luke shrugged, chuckling slightly. "Kasey and I managed to convince them when we went for a visit. And now, here she is, happy and unscratched."

Overprotective parents, huh? Well, that is to be expected, seeing that their daughter is a very beautiful woman. They would go batshit insane if she took the wrong turn.

I turned around and scanned the crowd. At the stage was Selena, dancing along with the beat. Her movement was slow and smooth, like a line of silk fluttering with the breeze. Kathy was standing by the bar, having chats with Kasey. Molly and Renee were having what they would call a 'girls talk' at one of the tables. You could tell that they were really getting along with just a glance.

"Goddess, it feels like I'm in Sahara desert."

I turned around to see a certain cynical man with a hair that resembled a peach. He was leaning on the bar, an annoyed expression on his face. He fanned himself with his hand, feebly fighting the heat.

"Get back in the kitchen, Chase." Luke said jokingly.

"Shut it, Luke. As much as I love cooking, I can't stand the heat in there." Chase retorted. "So how are you finding Castanet so far, cowboy?" He turned to me.

"All is well so far, though that girl over yonder is a bit out-of-this-world." I jerked my thumb towards a certain rancher girl I had just met this afternoon.

"Renee, huh?" Chase chuckled, running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, well, you ain't seen nothing yet."

"On a scale of 'sensible' to 'Molly', how bad is she?"

"Worse than Molly."

I am not content with that statement.

"Molly, at least, has a working logic most of the time." The chef began his explanation. "Renee is just all-out Rambo. She won't think through things before doing something. But at least she's not as loud as this guy here." He gestured his hand at Luke.

"I am NOT loud!" the lumberjack exclaimed.

"See what I mean?" Chase smirked. "Oh dear, she's coming here." He shifted his eyes to my six, a worried look on his face.

'Oh dear' indeed.

"Hey, Vaughn!" I heard Renee's cheerful voice ringing behind me.

"What?" I reluctantly answered, not moving a single bit.

"I heard you like assuming things. Do you know what assuming means?"

I raised an eyebrow at the question. This has to be a joke. Okay, I'll bite.

"No."

"It means making an ass out of you and me! Heh heh, get it?"

It was then I decided to turn my attention to her. The place went to an abrupt silence, I even saw Selena stopping her dance momentarily.

"Uhh… that doesn't-" Luke paused, I assumed it took some time for his brain to work. "oh… OOHHH, I get it!" he let out a booming laugh, throwing his head back.

"Took you long enough." Chase commented.

"That was a good one, eh Vaughn?" Renee smacked my shoulder, showing me a playful smile.

"You should be a standup comedian." I muttered sarcastically, getting back to my drink.

"Aww come on! Admit it, you might not show it, but you're smiling inside, right?"

What the hell does that supposed to mean?

"What are you trying to pull, anyway? Telling lame jokes all of a sudden." I asked.

"Well, Molly said she hasn't seen you smile since… forever. So I decided to give it a shot!" the rancher exclaimed cheerfully.

"It won't work that way, lady."

"Okay, then. Plan B."

Just before I could utter a single word, Renee launched her hands towards me. Since the alcohol was starting to weaken my instincts, I didn't get the chance to defend myself. After a split second, I felt both of her hands on either side of my cheeks. She pinched and stretched it as hard as she could, forcing me into a smile, though it wasn't quite much of a smile, it was just a very creepy expression that could scar an innocent child for life.

Luke, yet again, let out a series of laughter. Kasey raised both of his eyebrows in amusement, while Kathy snickered.

"Heh, I did it." Renee smirked victoriously at the sight.

I frowned, lightly slapping her hands away.

"That was amusing." Chase stated.

"That was not." I retorted, rubbing my red cheeks.

"I did it, Molly!" the rancher exclaimed, turning towards her friend by the table.

"Nononono, that doesn't count, Renee." Molly shook her head, wagging her index finger. "Forcing things upon someone is like violence, and I don't support violence."

Says the girl who tried to kick me in the freakin' head.

"You didn't say that!" Renee protested.

"That's still a no. Make him smile 'naturally'."

"You girls have too much time in your hands." Chase shook his head in disbelief, letting out a tired sigh.

"Like you don't" Molly retorted.

"I'm too busy, being the greatest chef and all. My mailbox is actually flooded with love letters from around the world, though sadly, I have to turn them down." the peach haired man feigned a sad look on his face. "It's hard, being famous."

"Letters? From who, Granny Shelly?"

The whole bar laughed like the audience at some comedy show. If I brought a tape recorder with me, I could use the track to make my own show or something.

Chase scowled, muttering some words about Molly being a daughter of a motherless goat or something along those lines. He retreated back to the kitchen, continuing his work.

"Well, I think it's time for me to get back home." Renee announced, looking at the clock.

"It's getting dark outside. Walk her home, Vaughn." Kasey said to me.

"Like hell I will." I muttered, taking another swig of the cold beer.

"Oh come on, Vaughn, you won't let a lady walk alone in the dark, aren't you?" Kathy piped in, glaring at me in a mix of disappointment and anger.

"What's the worse that could happen? An alien abduction? I'll be powerless to stop that." I butted back.

"There are dogs, you know!" Luke exclaimed.

"Dogs?" I asked, turning my head towards the idiotic lumberjack.

"Uh, yeah! Dogs, wild dogs! They'll, uh... they'll eat you alive! They appear at night, and in packs! Surely you don't want Renee to be their dinner!"

I thought of whacking Luke's head with a beer bottle, or just kick him in the kneecap. Or both. But then, a hand was placed on my shoulder.

I looked over my shoulder to see Renee with a melancholic look on her face. I do not like where this is going.

"I know what you're thinking, Vaughn, but Luke is telling the truth."

"What?"

"Please walk me home, I don't want to be eaten alive." She begged, hanging her head down.

"Well, uh..." I cleared my throat, remembering my certain weakness of helpless women. "Alright, just this once."

Renee jolted her head up, showing me a sweet smile. "Thank you, Vaughn."

I could feel my face heating up, and my heart beating fast. I quickly turned my head away to dismiss the thought.

Damn it, what the hell is wrong with me?

"Let's go." I stated, not forgetting to place the gold on the table and thanking Hayden.

We walked towards the door side by side, and I could feel all eyes were on us. I disregarded the feeling of being watched and opened the door for the lady.

As we were outside, though Renee let out a playful laugh, like she had won a million gold.

"Let me guess..." I began, feeling like I needed to drown my own head in acid. "You lied to me."

"Luke did! I was just playing along." she giggled, covering her mouth with her hands.

"You really pulled one over me." I sighed, shaking my head in disbelief.

"If you knew from the start, why did you agree to take me home?" the rancher asked as we started walking.

"I just can't stand seeing someone so helpless, especially a woman."

"Oh? That's very sweet of you, Vaughn."

"It isn't. It's troublesome, and I would rather go without it being a very obvious weakness of mine."

"But isn't it cool? Helping people who are in trouble, giving them a hand to get back up in their trying times."

"For some people, it may sound heroic." I crossed my arms, remembering the old days with Kasey and the gang. "But for me, it's just another pain in the ass."

"Heroes are meant to suffer for others' sake."

"Heroes are fools who think that they can change the world." I corrected her.

"Well, the line between heroes and fools are a bit vague. But I still think you're a hero."

"I'm no hero. Never was. Never will be. I'm just an animal dealer looking for some peace and quiet." I turned my head to my companion for the night, scowling at her. "And you're not helping me."

"Don't worry, I'll help you someday." she patted my shoulder, showing me an energetic grin.

"I'd rather not keep on to those words."

Silence fell as we went through Kasey's farm. Lighting was very minimum, the only reliable source of light was the moon. Even though the land was dark, I was certain that it was safe enough for one to venture in the night, even for defenseless folks.

A few more minutes of exercising our legs, and we were standing in front of the Marston residence. It was quite a huge ranch they had, complete with a noticeable windmill to complete various tasks.

"Thanks for walking me home, Vaughn. I really appreciate it." Renee said to me. I could barely see her smile with only the moonlight as a source of illumination.

"You're pretty troublesome for someone I just met." I muttered.

She laughed. "I know, I like to get along with people, especially newcomers. But you... I don't know, you seem... different. I like you."

I widened my eyes in surprise. After a few seconds, Renee realized what she had just said.

"N-not in that kind of way, mind you." She stuttered as she waved her hands defensively. I could see her face glowing red.

"Right." I cleared my throat. "I'll be on my way, now."

"Okay. Thanks again, Vaughn. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Got it. Good night." I turned my back and waved my hand, walking towards the Smith residence once again.

Tomorrow, huh? Somehow, I can't wait to see her again, despite the annoyance I have towards her. That girl... she's got some kind of magic in her.

I never thought I'd say that. Holy crap, I really need someone to whack my head with a hammer.

Or at least a shovel.

* * *

**Fallout 2 and MGS4 reference in there.**


	4. Shrooms Fiasco

**Author's note: Wizard is an interesting character, yet very hard to write. Nevertheless, I did my best.**

**By the way, there will be a segment called 'Lost Chapters' down below. It will be a segment for telling the story from a different perspective. In this chapter, it's Wizard's. These segments might appear quite often later on, depending on the plot.**

* * *

"So we came from the east… made a few turns to the right… and to the left… I don't get it." Renee sighed as she tried to remember the exact route we went through.

"You said you're familiar with this place." I stated, glaring at her.

"Heh, I lied." She stuck her tongue out, giving me a playful smile.

I feebly sighed and gritted my teeth in annoyance. Though I knew it was my fault all along. Trusting someone as straight as a dog's hind leg is a very questionable move.

"This place feels intimidating." I said as I observed the area around me.

The forest was lined up with trees to the distance as far as the eye can see. On the ground, there were only rocks and mushrooms. Certainly not a best place to get lost in.

"We need to figure out which direction is which, for a start." I began, raising my head to see the center of the solar system. "The sun is right above us, so that method is a no go."

"Hmm, climb up a tree to get a better view?" Renee suggested.

"The trees are mostly of the same height, even the tallest one won't provide much view." I pointed out.

"Well, let's just walk straight until we're out. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Getting your guts torn out by a bear."

"It's not that bad. Let's go!" the rancher started marching off towards a random direction, I reluctantly followed her.

Getting lost in a forest, huh? Never thought this would happen. I've read books about survival in the wilderness. I don't quite remember the details, but the basic of it all is to keep a positive mindset. Believe that you will survive, believe that you will still see the rising sun in the morrow. With this girl by my side, I don't think I'll have a shortage of spirit. I think I'll just worry about food and water. And bears.

"I wonder if these mushrooms are edible." Renee sparked a conversation as we ventured through the maze of trees and rocks.

"I don't pay much attention to mushrooms. It's hard to tell which is which, and the nutrition they provide isn't very significant. Just leave them be, it's not worth the risk." I replied.

"This one is a bit strange, though." She pulled a mushroom out of her pocket. It was a blue, medium-sized one with pink speckles all over the top. "I found it on our way here. It seems to be the only unique one in this land of 'shrooms."

"Huh, that IS interesting." I muttered, observing the peculiar mushroom. "Keep on to it. You could try asking around town for some info."

"Maybe Kasey knows, or Wizzy."

"Wizzy?"

"Wizard. He's the fortune teller in town. You haven't met him, huh?"

"Nope. Does he have a real name?" I asked, wondering why someone would like to be called 'Wizard' of all things.

"He doesn't tell. He's very mysterious, it kinda makes you curious. Hey, that rhymes." She giggled to herself.

"A fortune teller who is called 'Wizard' and acts very mysteriously. That guy's a big, fat phony."

"I don't know, Vaughn, you might want to talk to the guy before you make assumptions. I lost my wallet a few weeks ago, and he knew where it was. Sure, he might be fishy, but I think he can be trusted."

"I'll do that."

We continued our pathless journey in silence. The sun was getting hotter, and mud started to gather on the sole of my shoes. I gave Renee a supply of water I had brought with me as we rested below a tall tree.

"Ahh, that's refreshing!" She exclaimed after a few swigs. "You're a real savior, Vaughn."

"The human body is 70% made out of water, it's reasonable to bring some with you." I stated, taking the canteen from her hands.

"I'll keep that in mind, Professor Wesson." The rancher giggled.

_RUSTLE RUSTLE_

I quickly stood up and fixed my eyes at the bushes. I placed myself in front of Renee, hoping to be able to protect her from the potential danger.

"W-who's there?" Renee stuttered nervously, her fists tightly clenching my vest.

"It's me…" a voice rang.

"…Wizzy?"

The man came out from the shadows, revealing his tall figure. He was a fellow with a tanned skin, wearing what seemed to be a blue wizard's coat. Though his outfit alone made me tilt my head in confusion, I was very curious as I saw his eyes. The right one was yellow, while the other goes with the color green. The stare he gave us felt really soft and comforting, even though he wasn't smiling in the slightest. Similar to mine, his hair was long and silver, though his was braided on the left side. All in all, this guy seemed to be really popular among the girls.

"Wizzy, what are you doing here?" Renee approached the guy. I let my guard down, sensing no threat from this man.

"I'm on my way to visit the Witch." He stated.

"Witch?"

"Ah, yes, I suppose you haven't met her." The wizard muttered. "She is my friend. She lives here, deep in the forest."

"Wow, I've lived here for 20 years and I don't know anything about a witch. She's clearly not the outgoing type, isn't she?"

"That is correct." He slightly nodded his head, turning his attention to me. "And this is…?"

"Oh yeah, this is Vaughn." Renee gestured her hand to me. "He will be the animal dealer next week."

"So you're the Wizard I've been hearing about." I approached him. "I'm curious. What can you do, really?"

"I can see the future. Do you want me to predict the future for you?" he offered.

"I'd rather make my own than seeing it. Show me something else instead."

The wizard turned his head around, observing the area around him. He noticed a lonely leaf on the ground, far from other trees and burnable things.

"That leaf…" he pointed towards the said object. "I want you to keep your eyes on it."

"I'm watching." I moved myself so that both Wizard and the leaf were in view.

He readied his left hand, his eyes fully concentrated at the green leaf lying innocently on the ground. With a swift motion, he snapped his fingers. The leaf burst into flames, quickly disappearing from our sights. There were no traces, no leftovers.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed in amazement. "Plasmid!"

"Pardon?"

"Uh, nothing." I muttered. "Okay, color me impressed. I believe you."

"Thank you." Wizard took a slight bow, the lazy-yet-serious expression on his face remained unchanged.

"See Vaughn, that's why you shouldn't judge people before meeting them." Renee said to me, patting my shoulder.

"You didn't tell me that he can sprout fire from his goddamn hand." I butted back.

"Yeah, but still!"

"Knowing the exact location of your wallet is doable for most people, but lighting something on fire from 3 meters away with a snap of a finger is something else!"

"Both of you…" Wizard piped in.

"What?" we said in unison, turning our heads to him.

"Do you have something in common?" he asked, his face looking a tad confused as he intently stared at us.

"What do you mean?" Renee asked.

"As in… related in blood, or perhaps old friends?"

"No. We just met yesterday, why?" I asked, getting a bit curious.

"Nevermind… forget what I said." He waved it off, gaining his usual expression yet again. "Now may I ask what you both are doing here?"

"We decided it would be a good idea to explore the forest. Though now we think it isn't." Renee explained. "We are probably walking in circles for about an hour now."

Actually, you're the one who dragged me here, you idjit.

"You must be very tired, then. Would you like to come with me to Witch's house?" Wizard offered.

"Is it alright?"

"Yes, I suppose she won't mind."

"We'll come with you, then! Thanks, Wizzy!" the rancher exclaimed, smacking the magic user on the back.

I don't think this is a good idea. This 'Witch' hasn't gone out for at least 20 years, according to Renee's statement. It is safe to assume that she's avoiding us, for whatever reason. Though Wizard vouched that it's alright, I still think that this visit won't be swimming in the calm seas. I just hope I don't get my head blown off by a fireball or something.

Nevertheless, we continued on our walk with Wizard as point man. He seemed to have no trouble going through the place. It was as if this maze was his playground.

After a minute or two of navigating through the endless sea of trees and rocks, we arrived at the Witch's hut in one piece. The colorful building stood firm among the green, tall trees, and around it was a swamp. Though thankfully, I saw no alligators on sight.

"So this is Witch's house." Renee looked up the building in amazement, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

I wonder how it feels like to live in a VERY isolated place like this. She must be very lonely. But then again, Wizard might like to keep her company. I don't even want to know what they might be doing in a place like this. Far from civilization, there won't be a single person who will hear you if you make some… noises. Great, now I think going with Wizard isn't a very good idea at all. He wanted some privacy and we ruined it.

"Both of you, would you kindly stay close to me?" Wizard said to us.

"What? Why?" I asked, getting a bit suspicious.

"Well, I haven't informed you of this, but Witch and I don't quite get along pretty well." He replied. "I can sense that this place is set up with traps."

"Ex-squeeze me? Traps?" Renee gave Wizard a questioning look. "Pressure plates connected with arrow-shooting devices, stuff like that?"

"No, not booby traps. Magical traps – runes. Though how they work is nearly the same as physical traps. They are triggered when you step on a rune."

"And here I thought you're best friends with her." I muttered, getting myself behind the magical creature. We marched forwards with Renee clenching Wizard's jacket tightly.

"We may be similar beings, but we never managed to produce a mutual feeling." He paused momentarily. "Brace yourselves."

**BZZZZT!**

A bolt of lightning came out of the ground. I could see that Wizard's reflexes were sharp as a Cold Steel knife. He managed to prevent the bolt from getting to us by fabricating what seemed to be a magical barrier from his right hand.

"Whoa…" Renee's eyes were wide as saucers. "I wonder what would happen if I got hit by one of those."

"Her traps aren't lethal. That lightning bolt just now is made for tranquilizing." Wizard let out a sigh of relief. I assumed he was glad that he could protect us from harm.

So she isn't as evil as I thought she would be. But still, if you were to lost consciousness in this place, it would be safe to say that you're gonna be alligator snack.

"Another one."

**BZZZZT!**

I managed to prevent my hat from falling off as the second bolt struck Wizard's barrier. Despite the loud and flashy bolt exploding in front of him, he managed to keep his expression intact. I would only conclude that he had many experience with magic throughout his life.

"It seems we're clear." He let out another sigh of relief, relaxing his muscles a bit. "Let's go."

Renee let go of her grip at Wizard's jacket, nodding her head confidently.

We arrived at the lonesome Witch's front door without a scratch, thanks to the mysterious magician and his barrier. Wizard opened the door without even knocking. He just didn't seem to give a damn about politeness in his rival's property.

As the door opened, I saw a young lady standing a few steps away, scowling at us. She was rather cute, with silver hair like Wizard's. Her eyes were like polished topaz, sparkling brightly within the dim lights of her house. On top of her head was a classic, black, pointy witch's hat. She was dressed completely in black, as if she wanted to give off a scary and intimidating feel to it, though her face completely contradicted that fact.

"What, in the name of anything breathing, are YOU doing here?" Witch pointed her index finger at Wizard, her face clearly showing irritation. "And YOU both!" she turned to us. "Who the hell are you?"

"So you're the Witch…" Renee took a step forwards. I could see that she was trembling, and her hands are balled into fists. "You're so…"

Witch raised an eyebrow, a mixture of confusion and irritation was seen on her face.

"CUTEEE!"

As soon as Renee announced that word, she jumped towards Witch with wide, open arms. The lady in black showed a surprised look before her back was introduced to the ground.

"Gah, what are you doing!" Witch exclaimed as she was wrapped around Renee's arms like a teddy bear.

"You're too cute! Look at this hat, this coat, this… face!" she pinched the princess' face with both of her hands while letting out a series of squeals.

"Damn it, get off of me, human! AAAGH!"

"Well, I had expected this to happen." Wizard said, slightly smiling at the sight.

"So that's why you brought us along with you." I stated.

"Yes, well, forgive me for not telling you. As you can see, it's a bit hard to get help from Witch. With Renee coming along, I have a better chance to succeed in persuading her." He said as he started walking towards the kitchen.

"Good thinking." I followed him, taking a last glance at the feebly struggling Witch.

Wizard started looking around the kitchen. He seemed to be looking for something. After a while, he decided to check the shelves and cabinets. It was quite a mess, you could tell that Witch wasn't quite the cleaner.

"What are you doing?" I finally decided to ask.

"Found it." He muttered as he grabbed something from the shelf. He lifted it up, showing the thing to me. It was a kettle. "Do you like coffee, Vaughn?"

"My blood is 100% caffeine."

"Would you like some?"

"That'd be great." I crossed my arms and leaned at the counter. "I used to smoke while having my morning caffeine dose. Probably the best feeling in the world."

"Really?" Wizard poured some water into the kettle. "I don't smoke myself, but coffee alone is enough for me."

"Well, a word of advice from an ex-smoker. Don't. It's a pain in the wallet, and you'll get very edgy if you don't take frequent doses, which will lead into doing stupid things. Like going out to the convenience store with a worn-out bike at 3 AM in the morning while it's raining cats and dogs. And of course, the smoke isn't very friendly with the human body, especially infants and elders. It's like punching someone in the face for your own pleasure."

"I'll keep that in mind. I don't like the smell, anyway."

"Good. Keep that up."

"LET ME GO YOU FILTHY HUMAN! AAAARGH!"

* * *

"So you two were lost when you bumped into this idiot here, and decided to crash into my place, making it all dirty with mud and Goddess-knows-what kinds of insects you bring from the woods."

"Pretty much, yeah." I said, taking a sip of my coffee.

Witch let out a sigh, rubbing her temples in irritation.

We were seated at the dining table. Witch and Wizard were sitting across us, the former had a glass of strawberry milk placed in front of her, while the latter had his cup of coffee still steaming. He was getting pretty immersed at the big blue book Witch lent to him.

"So, do you really live alone?" Renee tossed a question.

"Yes, I don't like company. Especially this guy here." She jerked her thumb at the man sitting beside her.

"Aren't you lonely?"

"I'm not."

"Does Wizard ask for your help every now and then?"

"Of course! This idiot can't do anything without my knowledge!"

"Okay then." The question asker smiled gleefully, like she had learned something new.

Well, yeah, she did learn something new.

Witch. Living here, in the middle of a goddamn forest for Goddess-knows how long, isn't feeling lonely at all. Why? Well, she said that Wizard makes frequent visits. Applying Occam's razor onto those statements brings a conclusion that her only social interaction is with Wizard. Now, if someone you really hate is the only one who talks to you, would you still be breathing by now? The answer is simply 'no'. You'd be six feet under with a .44 caliber planted inside your brain. In conclusion, Witch doesn't fully hate Wizard, she's just overacting.

Women… why can't they just convey their feelings as is?

"What is he doing, anyway?" I threw in another question.

"This guy here is all brawn and no brain." Witch placed a hand on Wizard's shoulder. "He's pretty good at learning new spells, but controlling them is like taming a wild horse."

"So to put it simply, he's not very good at reading and comprehending?"

"Yep. To put it more simply, he's an idiot."

"It seems my powers alone aren't enough for this spell." Wizard muttered, eyes still focused on the book.

"What, so you need my powers to help you?" Witch glared at the man, not liking the idea.

"So it would seem."

"Why would I do that? What kind of spell are you learning, anyway?"

"It's a spell to repel the dark clouds. In other words, we can prevent the rain from falling down." Wizard explained, closing the book.

"That would be very useful!" Renee exclaimed. I could see the excitement and wonder on her face. "You two really should combine your powers!"

"Like hell I will." Witch scoffed. "Though that spell does sound cool."

"Speaking about magic…" the rancher reached for her pocket. "Do you happen to know anything about this mushroom?"

As soon as the blue and pink speckled mushroom entered the duo's sights, they quickly thrust their hands forwards, reaching for the curious mushroom. Renee was quick on her feet. She quickly stood up and leaned back, extending her arms so that the item was out of reach.

"Fugue mushroom!" Witch shouted, her face showing extreme dedication to get the mushroom into her hands. "Mine!"

"I need that!" Wizard exclaimed. For the first time since I met him, he showed a very enthusiastic expression. It was quite a disturbing sight.

"Hold your horses, why don't you guys calm down for a second and explain why this thing is so important for you both." Renee suggested, defending the mushroom as if it was an expensive polished diamond.

"Are you kidding me? That 'thing' you're holding is the Fugue mushroom!" Witch yelled.

"It is the only mushroom that holds magical powers." Wizard managed to stay calm, though I could see that his muscles were tensed. "It is a necessary ingredient to continue my magical research."

"You mean it's a necessary ingredient to make MY potion!"

The two continued on arguing, throwing insults back and forth. The atmosphere was getting quite intense, and the air was getting thick.

Which, inevitably, made me a bit irritated.

I stood up and approached Renee, who was at loss on what to do. She must felt like the unluckiest person in the world to hold such a curse.

"I'll take that." I stated, taking the mushroom from her hands.

"What are you planning to do?" Renee nervously asked.

I kept my mouth shut. After making sure that the two weren't looking, I moved myself towards the nearest window.

"Hey MORONS!" I yelled, gaining the attention of the two arguing kids.

As they turned their heads to me, I mustered every ounce of strength I had in my right arm and threw away the mushroom. I heard a shout in unison as the item flew away to the darkness of the forest, never to be seen again.

"AAAGH! What the hell are you doing!" Witch ran up to the window, a look of disbelief was planted on her face as she leaned forwards, scanning the trees for her valued item.

"That thing is like gold to men, deer to lions. It makes you do stupid things, and could obliterate the very little friendship you both have." I glared at Wizard, hoping that I could get some of his brain cells to work. "You just told us that in order to get your spell to work, you'd need to combine your powers. What's the point of it if you both fought over a goddamn mushroom?"

"Damn it!" Witch jumped out through the window, obviously not hearing a single word I said.

"Wait!" Wizard was taken aback, I could see the uncertainty in his eyes.

"Do whatever you want, I don't give a damn." I stated, crossing my arms.

Wizard took a few seconds to weigh on his options. Eventually, he decided to accompany Witch in the search of the lost mushroom. He made his way through the front door, following Witch's trail.

And in just a split second, the house was filled with silence.

"I… don't know if that's the right thing to do, Vaughn." Renee spoke. "You threw away what's valuable to them. That's a very spontaneous way to solve a problem, don't you think?"

"You really think I'd do that? Charging forwards without a plan?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just wait and see…"

And for the first time since I've arrived in this place, I have the chance to smirk in victory.

* * *

**The Lost Chapters #1: A Friend in Need**

* * *

"Find anything, Gale?" I heard Vivi shouting at me. She was still busy, rummaging through the bushes.

"Nothing yet." I replied, doing the same in a different area.

I could hear an irritated sigh coming from behind me. I stopped my search and turned my back to check on my old friend. I saw a reflection of anger and frustration in her eyes as sweat started pouring down her forehead and to the ground. Somehow, the sight tugged my heartstrings a bit. I had never seen her suffering so much before.

"Vivi… maybe it's best if we stop the search now." I stated. "It's been almost three hours, and it's getting dark."

"Stop now? Are you kidding me? I've spent YEARS looking for that damned mushroom!" She turned to me, eyes ablaze. "Now that I've got one in my sights, that stupid cowboy decided to THROW it away!"

Vivi hung her head down, taking deep breaths soon after she conveyed all of her anger. As soon as I heard a sob, I quickly stood up and approached my 'friend'. I placed a hand on her small shoulder, trying to comfort her.

She has a point. This whole ordeal is Vaughn's fault. But is this really what he's trying to accomplish? To anger us? I know that he is not the kind of man who takes pleasure in someone's pain, I could feel his kindness since the first time I've met him. What are his true intentions?

_That thing is like gold to men, deer to lions. It makes you do stupid things, and could obliterate the very little friendship you both have._

I widened my eyes as I felt a sudden jolt of realization. That man… he's trying to make me choose.

All these years, Vivi and I have not been getting along due to the existence of one thing: the Fugue mushroom. If, somehow, we can forget about that, we can combine our powers and help a lot of people. Who knows what kinds of things magic can do if two users should unite.

If I decided to go for the mushroom, we would still be fighting whenever we meet. I can continue my research, or Vivi can brew her potion, but the potential of our combined powers will never be seen.

As I was deep in thought, I felt a hand grabbing my wrist. I looked down to see Vivi, still taking deep breaths. Her hair blocked my sight of her face, rendering her expression unknown to me.

"I'm so tired…" she muttered. "I can't feel my legs."

Oh dear.

I let out a tired sigh and crouched down, wiping the sweat off her face with the sleeve of my jacket. She lifted her head, showing a beet red face, probably due to the weariness.

"Let's get you home." I stated, taking her arms and wrapping it around my neck. I turned my back, and with one fell swoop, lifted her from the ground. With her arms around my neck, and her legs secured in my arms, we went off.

I never thought Vivi would be this light. It's like carrying a feather in my back. Or maybe she's using some kind of spell to make herself lighter. Women can be a bit touchy when it comes to weight.

"A piggyback ride with you, of all people. Just kill me already…" Vivi buried her head on my shoulder.

"So you'd rather be left alone in here without the ability to walk?"

"No, I'd rather have someone else other than YOU to rescue me."

"You can't always get what you want, Vivi."

"Hmph, you and your wise words."

Silence took over after that conversation. We went through the dark of the night without any source of light other than the moon. Navigation was a bit hard, but my mind was clear enough to focus on my routing spell. Vivi's house was still a few miles away.

"Vivi, I have something to say to you." I broke the silence, gaining her attention.

"What is it?"

"I've decided to drop my research. If I ever find a Fugue mushroom, I'll let you have it."

"Eh?"

"I don't want us to keep this routine. Fighting over something so trivial, it feels very childish."

"Gale…"

I halted my steps for a short moment, gaining courage for the decision I was about to make.

"My research is important, there is no arguing about that. But I've realized something more important. More precious than a small mushroom that holds magical powers."

"And that is…?"

I turned my head, my eyes meeting Vivi's bright ones. She looked a bit nervous and curious at the same time.

"You."

As soon as that one word escaped my mouth, Vivi widened her eyes in surprise. I could see her face starting to glow redder than a tomato.

"Y-you idiot! Do you realize what you just said?" she stammered, quickly looking away into the dark woods around her.

"…what?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused at the question.

"Aaargh, nevermind!" yet again, she buried her head on my shoulder. "And why are you stopping? Come on, let's get going!"

I stared at her for a few seconds before deciding to continue on my walk. A familiar friend of ours known as 'silence' made its appearance yet again. Though, the silence this time felt a bit awkward. I could hear nothing but the few critters that roam the forest, though I could clearly feel Vivi's heart beating rapidly, and her grip on my neck was stronger than ever. I considered of telling her that I could die of suffocation should this continue, but then I concluded that she was very tired and in need of immediate respite. It would be best to not bother her.

"You're stupid at understanding things." Vivi decided to spark a conversation, her voice muffled by my jacket.

"You're much too methodical in learning things." I retorted.

"Your fire spell sucks."

"Your rune traps aren't strong enough to penetrate my barrier."

"Your head is full of caffeine."

"Your brain is frozen due to eating too many ice creams."

"Your hair is stupid."

"Have you run out of insults?"

A small giggle escaped Vivi's lips. It felt quite relaxing somehow, hearing that particular sound she let out. I couldn't hold back the little smile that crept up to my face.

"Y'know, I think I'll give up on brewing my potion too."

"What? Are you serious?" I was a bit taken aback by that statement.

"Yep! If I were to get a hold of a Fugue mushroom, you'll probably appear in my front door, begging your life for it. I don't want to see that."

"I assure you, I won't do that."

"Better safe than sorry!" she let out a playful laugh, smacking my shoulder.

Though it seemed like she was kidding around, I could tell that she was serious. There was a tone of certainty in her voice, and that smile on her face was not one of those devious ones she usually showed. Rather, it was a sweet and reassuring smile, showing no malicious intents nor deceive.

So this is it… the day that we finally managed to agree on something, to get along like friends, to help one another in their times of need. I've never thought this day would come.

"We need a lot of catching up to do." I stated, getting a bit excited to exchange knowledge between us.

"Yep, better get yourself ready for some reading!"

I do not look forward to that.

The rest of the walk was filled with small talks regarding various ideas and concepts of spells we could make with both of our powers. As soon as we reached Vivi's hut, though, we saw a familiar figure sitting on the porch.

"Took you long enough."

He was none other than the cowboy that started the whole fiasco. Vaughn sat there with a cup of coffee as his only companion in the dead and lonely night.

"You! Why are you still here?" Vivi yelled, pointing her index finger at the cowboy.

"I'm watching over your house, you should be more thankful." He retorted. "So how did it go?"

"Fruitless." I stated.

"Not the search." He shook his head. "You know what I mean."

Ah, that.

"We decided it would be best to forget about the mushroom, and agreed to combine our powers for the greater good."

"That's good to hear." Vaughn pulled the brim of his hat down, as if he was trying to hide his expression. "Well, I only have one more thing to tell you two."

"What is it?"

"You're both morons."

I merely raised an eyebrow at that statement. Vivi, however, was not pleased.

"You're asking to get fried, cowboy?" she threatened.

Vaughn said nothing. He simply fished something out of his pocket. We were quite surprised as we saw that he had not one, but two Fugue mushrooms in his hands. I could hear Vivi let out a gasp of surprise, and my jaw was practically dropped to the ground.

"Two! How the hell-"

"I found one inside Kasey's fridge, and the other one is the one that I 'threw'" he explained, putting an emphasis on the word 'threw'.

"So we were fooled." I muttered.

"That's what I call 'magic', my friends." He smirked, throwing the two mushrooms towards us. "Nevermind that. You both earned it. Make sure to not fight over a goddamn fungus anymore."

Though I already knew what I should do, Vivi encouraged my actions even further. She jumped off my back, taking my right hand and directing it towards the two magical mushrooms. In just a split second, I could feel the surge of energy flowing through my veins. It felt fiercer and deadlier than before, like getting a sudden shot of adrenaline.

"What are you two-"

**BOOM!**

Vaughn jumped in surprise as the mushrooms exploded, leaving no trace of its existence behind. They literally vanished into thin air in just a blink of an eye.

"Whoa, didn't see that coming." Vaughn muttered, fixing his hat that was blown away by the force of the explosion.

"Sorry, we won't be needing those anymore." Vivi took a step forwards with a confident look on her face. "Just the two of us will be enough to take over the world!" she patted my shoulder, showing a catlike grin to the cowboy.

Vaughn seemed to be a bit taken aback. He stared at us for a few seconds before letting a chuckle escape his lips.

"Alright, then, my work here is done." He stood up, yet again fixing his hat into the right position. "I'll just take my leave now."

"Hold on, where's Renee?" I asked, turning my head around in search for the eccentric rancher.

"I took her home after you both bolted off. We were able to make it out of this maze with a bit of luck."

"Well, luck might not be with you this time." Vivi stated.

"No worries, I already marked the trees." The cowboy pointed on a tree. With a squint, I could see a scratch mark, presumably from a knife. "Well then, good night." He tipped his hat as he started walking.

"Nighty-night, cowboy." Vivi waved her hand as Vaughn started fading into the dark of the woods.

After a few seconds, though, he stopped on his tracks. He seemed to have forgotten something. As I looked around for an item he might accidentally left, he walked back to us.

"Question." He stated.

"Shoot." Vivi replied.

He pointed towards the woods.

"Are there bears in there?"

* * *

**So Witch and Wizard are done. Wonder who else should I feature in the next chapter?**


	5. Never was, Never will be

**Author's note: Pft, it's been so long. Oh well.**

**Short one. Ran out of ideas. Balls.**

* * *

"Got everything settled?"

"Yeah, I'll be on my way now."

I picked up my suitcase and walked over to the door. The sun was setting as I greeted the spring breeze. Kasey's whole ranch was in view, the crops greener than any other farms I had ever seen.

"Well, I would take you to the docks, but uh... I've got some things to take care of." Kasey muttered. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"Alright," I stated. I tipped my hat and went on my way. "I'll see you next week, then."

"Sure thing. Good luck." He then waved his hand, showing a slight grin.

'Good luck'? What's that supposed to mean?

I paused for a moment, before deciding to let it slip. I'm tired as hell, and I'm still a thousand miles from home.

I had already took care of everything. Papers, introductions, and even a major thing regarding two magic users who somehow wouldn't get along. The time had come for me to leave, and to come back next week for a brand new start.

Wednesdays and Thursdays, huh? I really hope I can get some more time. I like this place, a hundred times better than the city. Quieter, cleaner, friendlier. A man can't possibly ask for more.

The town was rendered in an orange glow, as if it was blessed by the Goddess. It was quiet, and the bar wasn't crowded yet. I could only make out a petite figure standing by the docks.

Of course, I muttered a curse under my breath as I realized who that person was.

So this is what Kasey meant by 'Good luck'. That bastard...

Renee stood there, her back facing me. She gazed onto the setting sun, her dress fluttering lightly. Visually speaking, it was quite a sight. But once you know what kind of girl she is, you'll spontaneously forget the word 'graceful' or 'beautiful' or whatever the thesaurus can come up with.

My heavy footsteps reached her ears. She turned to me, smiling sweetly. I was a bit taken aback as I saw her face. She seemed... different.

"Hey, Vaughn." She greeted.

"Yo."

"Kasey told me that you're leaving today."

"Yep. I'll be back next week."

"I see..."

Renee turned towards the sea once again. After a wave or two, she took a deep breath.

"I have a question, Vaughn."

"What is it?"

"How long will you be working here?" She turned to me, staring straight into my eyes. There was something off about her expression, as if she was showing a hint of sorrow.

"Don't know yet." I answered, crossing my arms. "Might be a year, a decade or even a lifetime. I'm that guy who doesn't plan his life really well." I turned my head to her, gazing at her brown eyes. "Why did you ask, anyway?"

"Well, umm..." she looked away. "I'm just curious."

Your lie is pretty damn obvious. You might be forgetting that you're talking with an expert in microexpressions.

"Ah, what the hell." the rancher shook her head, showing me a very wide grin. "Y'know, you're a pretty fun guy, Vaughn."

"Fun?"

"Yeah! I don't know why, but I had lots of fun whenever I'm with you."

I don't know if that's a compliment or not, knowing that it comes from the mouth of this peculiar creature. Ah well, whatever.

"You're pretty much entertained with anything and anyone." I said.

"But it feels different with you! I can feel it... a few days back, when we visited Witch's house, I feel that I can do anything with you. Hell, getting lost in a forest like that would be terrifying, but I could overcome my fear with you. I could still stand strong with death staring at me right in front of my face."

"That's too much exaggeration."

"I know it's weird, but I felt it!"

She leaned closer to me, her brown eyes shining like a hundred stars in the dark of the night.

"What are you, Vaughn?"

How the hell am I supposed to respond to that?

"I'm just another dust in the wind. There's nothing special about me." I turned away from her, lowering the brim of my hat. "Never was. Never will be."

"That's not true... at least not for me."

"Everything is just your imagination. Just let it go."

Just before she could say another word, the horn on the boat screamed loudly. That was my cue.

I tipped my hat and went on my way towards the boat. After two little steps, a hand grabbed my vest. I looked back to see Renee's face, showing a smile that could grasp even the world's most famous painters' interests.

"I'll see you next week, Vaughn."

Those words were simple, anyone could come up with that. And yet, it felt really comforting to hear it. It felt like I could rest easy, knowing that the next time I came here, she would be there, waiting for me.

Alas, a small smile crept up my face. It couldn't be helped, I felt happy and idiotic at the same time. To think that this girl, of all people, would give a damn about my existence.

"I won't be looking forward to it." I joked.

I ruffled her hair and jumped to the boat, leaving the island for the week. Renee's small figure slowly faded as I got farther towards the sea, and eventually, she was out of my sight.

* * *

**The Lost Chapters #2: Spies**

"Awww, he ruffled her hair. How sweet!"

Kathy jumped up and down, barely containing her excitement. I let out a tired sigh, closing the small gap between the door and its frame after the cowboy had left.

"Why are you getting giddy anyway?" I asked.

"Oh come on, Chase! Didn't you see those two? They're so lovely together!" And yet, once again, Kathy let out a girly squeal.

"What I'm asking is why are _you _excited? The relationship between those two doesn't have anything to do with you."

"I know, I know. It's just... I don't know, I feel happy for her! Renee has finally found herself a man, how exciting is that!"

Uh, no. You're getting ahead of yourself there. They haven't done anything yet.

"Whatever..." I muttered.

"You really need to feel love, Chase. It's the greatest feeling in the world."

"There's something really wrong with your head if you think some mental illness is the greatest feeling in the world."

"Grrh, you cynical bastard." Kathy gritted her teeth in annoyance. "How about a hug? Come on, I bet a hug can melt your cold heart." she opened her arms wide, showing an idiotic grin.

"Nah, I'll pass. Recent research has confirmed that idiocy can be transferred through physical contact."

"Yeah? Well, here's your physical contact!"

**SLAP!**

Of course, that act of violence was quite a good reminder why I shouldn't mess with Kathy.

"Joking aside..." I began, rubbing my cheek to ease the burning pain. "That was practically a love confession from Renee."

"That's what I thought, too."

"Is she really that gullible?"

"Renee? You have no idea." Kathy scoffed.

"How about the cowboy? Is he really that stubborn?"

"I think so." she nodded her head.

"So... they're both idiots when it comes to love." I concluded.

"Ayup." The grin on Kathy's face was like a stretched rubber band. I could easily tell that she was interested in the two. "I'm gonna keep an eye on those two. It's gonna be interesting."

Yeah, well, it's gonna be like watching two monkeys fixing a car with a wrench.

Which, of course, will be interesting.

* * *

**More characters will probably appear some time soon. Will? Claire? Gray, maybe?**


	6. A Past Unforgotten

It was just another day on the whacky, moronic island known as Castanet. The birds were chirping, the grass was green, and of course, adults with no sense of shame whatsoever playing tag under the scorching sun.

Thankfully, I wasn't one of them.

I was sitting under the protection of some unnamed tree with a few other guys from town. The air of Flute Fields was unsurpassed. It felt really fresh and clean.

Though much to my chagrin, an unsuspected 'visitor' had decided to tag along with us.

"So how did you get that huge yacht? Did you buy it yourself?" Kathy asked the visitor. She was throwing questions here and there for quite a while.

"Ah, that would be my father's. It is unfortunately impossible for me to buy such a thing."

That tone of voice, that smile, that goddamn face. Goddamn it, this guy hasn't change in the slightest.

"Pst," Chase nudged me by the rib. "why do I get the feeling that this guy is trying to annoy us?"

"He's always like that. He thinks that he's just being a normal, average guy. While in reality, he's actually annoying every single male in a 5 mile radius."

"Whoa, sounds like you really hate the guy."

"We all do, Chase. We all do." Kasey chimed in.

Who is he, you ask? Well, his name is William Terry Louis Andrew Carrathingamajig. Goddamn it I can't even remember his full name. We call him Will for short. Filthy rich, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He's the kind of guy who can easily capture the hearts of women, and metaphorically give men a bicycle kick in the face. I admit, he is pretty good looking, and rich, and noble. But the fact that there's nothing wrong with him makes it really annoying.

"I… kinda get it now." Kathy whispered to us while Will was distracted by the two idiots running around the field like brainless monkeys. "You guys are just jealous."

"Like hell I am!" Kasey and I shouted in unison. Of course, this caught Will's attention.

"Did I miss something?" He asked. Of course, his smile was still there, like a plastic mask glued with resin.

"Nothing. A cat passed by." Kasey muttered.

Will let out a laugh. A laugh that brought us back to our old days. A laugh so soft that it could warm anyone's heart in a split second. Kasey and I were surprised of course, to hear something that we thought we'd never hear again.

"You used to say that back then, when you don't feel like answering a question."

"So you still remember." Kasey chuckled a bit, relaxing his back on the tree. "Time's changed, but we're still our old, stubborn selves."

"I suppose." Will stood up. He stretched a bit and dusted his white pants. "Well then, I believe it's time for lunch. If you may wait for a while, I will fetch the food from my yacht."

"Whoa, you don't have to do that." Kathy commented.

"I insist. Consider it a… visitor's gift, if you will." He gave a slight wave of hand before disappearing towards the town.

"I'll give him a hand." Kasey went up and away, trailing behind the gentleman.

"Aaaand… they're off." Kathy said. She turned her head towards the fields, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Renee! Molly! Time for lunch!"

That shout was loud enough to reach the two girls. They immediately ran towards us with short breaths and sweat-covered face.

"For Goddess' sake, I feel like I'm taking care of my own kids." Kathy muttered just before the dynamic duo could hear her.

"Suits you well, actually. Who's the father?" Chase chirped in with a smirk on his face.

"One more word from you, Chase, and I'll make sure you won't see another day."

"Ahh, I'm so tired." Renee said as she collapsed to the blanket we sat on. Molly followed suit.

"Where's Will?" Molly asked. Chase threw a handkerchief to her face, which she used to wipe away the sweat.

"Fetching the food. Remember to thank him later." Kathy stated.

"I'm always thankful of him. Hell, I've been thinking how I should repay him for what he's done to all of us."

"'All of us'?"

"Oh yeah, I haven't told you how we all met." Molly let out a long sigh as she fixed her eyes at the sky. That soft look on her face told me that she was sailing the sea of nostalgia. I relaxed a bit as I readied myself to take a trip back in time.

"Actually, I'm too tired. You do the storytelling instead, Vaughn."

Goddamn it.

Kathy, Chase and Renee stared intently at me. I felt like a helpless rabbit in a tiger's den, ready to be swallowed like a morning pill.

Well, sink or swim.

"Fine." I muttered. Letting out a long, tired sigh, I began to pass on the story of a man who saved us from an inevitable nosedive into the abyss. A savior from heaven. A kind-hearted angel. A friend.

"This is gonna be a long one. Try not to fall asleep."

* * *

Some might say that high school days are the best time in your life. That statement holds an undeniable truth for most people, but for us, it was a contradictory.

It began with the three of us. Kasey, Molly and I were friends who held one thing in common.

We were orphans. United under the same roof, on the same floor. We didn't know anything about our parents. Not even a hint.

Life was fine until junior high started. Kasey and Molly were adopted, and not long after that, someone picked me up too.

We thought our lives would be better from there on. We thought we could be like the other normal kids, to have a father and a mother who love us. We thought we could finally feel the greatest feeling that is to love, and to be loved.

Instead, we saw the hellish fires of Hades rising up in front of our eyes. We were chained to the ground, unable to move an inch while the heat slowly drained our sanity.

I probably won't need to recite what kinds of abuse we got. I don't even want to remember.

School didn't treat us so well. They never did. We were bullied, smacked around like a piñata hung on a tree. Growing tired of getting beat up, we learned how to defend ourselves.

We fought back.

It felt good. Every punch that landed felt like the greatest feeling of satisfaction. We were addicted to it.

Soon after that, the hunted became the hunter.

We formed a group. The three of us hunted down bullies and sometimes low-leveled criminals.

Of course, modern civilization wouldn't accept violence as a catalyst of justice. We were stranded further from society, as people feared and loathed us. However, there were still a select few who would thank and respect us.

Our little group went well before that fateful encounter. We were just on our way home when we saw someone from another school got cornered by a gang of five. We didn't know their motives, and we didn't need to. Kasey, Molly and I quickly jumped on the scene and beat up the bullies. They were weak, and the element of surprise helped us quite a lot.

It took me only a second to realize that the victim was a very fragile person. He seemed pretty weak and inexperienced. Just one glance at him and anyone would conclude that this man is just another pretty boy.

A short moment after the bullies retreated, the blonde-haired person was still in shock. We decided to leave, seeing that accompanying him would be quite troublesome.

He called out to us, however. With his remaining strength, he shouted.

"Wait! How can I repay you?"

"No need. Just fight back next time." Kasey replied. He didn't even turn his head back.

"No, please!" I could hear his footsteps approaching us. "Y-you saved my life! Please let me repay you in any way!"

"Well," I cleared my throat, turning to him. "Marlboro Reds would be nice."

"H-huh?"

"Vaughn…" Molly sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Can you get your mind off of smokes for a little bit? At least a minute?"

"Nope." I answered shortly. "So how about it?"

"O-of course. I'll go get you one immediately!"

And with that, he ran off, albeit sloppily.

"Oh well, I could use a smoke." Kasey muttered. He found himself a nice corner to sit on, so we followed him.

"What a weird guy." Molly stated.

"He's weak, that's for sure." I crossed my arms as I felt my back connected to the wall. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, slim figure, possibly rich. The guy's a feast for crooks."

Just before anyone could mutter a word, a series of footsteps interrupted us. We turned our heads to see that same man, running towards us with a pack of Marlboro Reds in his hand.

"That was quick."

"Yes, I ran as fast as I could." He handed me the cancer sticks.

"Thanks. You can go now, make sure to stay safe."

I took a stick and tossed the pack to Kasey. As I let out a smoke from my mouth, I noticed that the man was still standing there, awkwardly staring at us.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, but… who are you guys?" he asked.

"We're the Power Rangers!" Molly cheerfully exclaimed.

"We're not." I let out a tired sigh. "We're just a group of people who swore to keep the school and streets clean of delinquency."

"Uhm, isn't underage smoking an act of delinquency?"

"Eh, as long as it doesn't bother other people, it's fine." I took a long drag, feeling the smokes infiltrated my eyes. "What's your name?"

"It's William." He replied.

"I suggest you go get some training, Will." Kasey stood up, his cigarette dangling on his mouth. "You won't be able to talk your way out of those guys. The only way to destroy a rock is by smashing it with a hammer."

"If that's the case, then…" I saw him balling his hands into fists, eyes ablaze with an undying will. "Will you train me?"

That request took Kasey aback. He never thought someone would like to be trained. His surprised look was quickly replaced with an interested one, as he smirked widely and offered his hand to the newcomer.

"It's gonna be a one-way ticket to hell." He stated.

"I have no intentions of coming back." Will smiled as he shook Kasey's hand.

That was the point where our lives began to take a giant leap forward. Will was a talented man to begin with, all we did was sharpen him, get him into shape. The only thing he lacked was confidence. He wasn't sure of anything, and doing something needed a lot of weighing. We taught him the art of Rambo, where shooting comes before thinking.

We later discovered that Will was a man who came from a noble family. He had no friends, or rather, 'real' friends. Most people would just use him as a disposable tool. Richer than the richest, he believed his noble blood was a curse, made him different from the average Joe.

I still remember that one particular day. Will and I were alone, just hanging out like a pair of owls on a tree, watching people passing by. I told Will what I had in mind about his 'curse'.

"You might think that you're the most miserable human being in the world. Let me tell you what I think." I began as I light up a cigarette. "I think you're one lucky son of a bitch."

"Excuse me?" He stammered. His eyes were wide, as if he was really taken aback by my statement.

"A hero to one is a villain to another. Everything is just a matter of perspective."

"A matter of perspective…"

"Open up your mind, Will. Relax a bit, and take a good look of your life from all sorts of angles. Delve deep into people's minds, and figure out what they have to say about you from their point of view." I gave him a reassuring look, hoping that I could change his mind.

Will raised both of his eyebrows in surprise, his mouth agape.

"Why… are you telling me this?" he asked, his voice low.

"Because you're my friend."

That statement was short, simple and straight. However, the impact on Will's mental state was enormous. I soon realized that I just gave Will what he always wanted since the day he took a nosedive into society. The existence of someone to help him in his time of need. The existence of someone to protect. The existence of a shoulder to cry on.

The existence of a friend.

Silence took over. But I knew, inside Will's head, there was a storm going on. Cars and people passed by, the sun was shining bright. Time went on, but for Will, it seemed that the whole world had stood still.

"I understand."

From then on, Will had a confidence boost. He accepted me as a mentor, and as a friend. He told me that he would change his way of thinking, and of course, to seek out 'true' friends to aide him.

We went separate ways after high school ended. Three years passed, and after a hard day's night, I received a call from Kasey. He told me Will had found a settlement, far from the lights and sparks of the city. Without another thought, I accepted whatever job he wanted to throw at me.

And now, here I am, free from the devil's grip, united once again with the ones I hold dear. It was all thanks to that one man, who we once thought was a powerless weakling.

He had died once, and rose from the ashes. He gave us the greatest gift known to mankind, and he gave it with a bright smile.

He gave us our freedom.

* * *

"Why the hell are you weeping?"

Chase threw a pack of tissue towards the weeping bartender. I sighed wearily as I noticed the heavy mood around us. I guess telling an old tale wasn't such a good idea.

"I… didn't know you guys had such hard lives." The chef said. He hung his head low, giving Molly a look of sympathy.

"Kasey never told you, huh." I muttered.

"Bastard never said anything…" stated Kathy in between sobs.

I let out yet another sigh. Looking over to my side, I saw a certain pair of brown eyes staring at me with teary eyes. I cringed at the unusual expression Renee had. Just as I opened my mouth to make a witty comment, I felt something warm pressing against my chest.

It took me quite a while to realize that Renee had her arms wrapped around me. She sobbed as she buried her head in my chest.

"What are you-" I exclaimed in panic.

"I'm sorry! I don't know why I'm crying!"

…what?

Is there even such a thing as being sad without a reason?

"Idiot…" I murmured.

I patted her head, smiling as I did. For some reason it felt really comfortable. I never asked for sympathy, nor did I want it. But I couldn't help it. Accepting her warmth felt really good.

"Did we come at a bad time?"

A soft, gentle voice snapped me out of my dreams. I quickly turned my head to see Will and Kasey with confusion clearly planted on their faces.

Yeah, a really bad time.

"Uh, did someone die?" Kasey spoke.

Sigh.

"Ah, you told them, didn't you Vaughn?" Will said as he regained his usual smile. He probably saw that Molly and I were the only ones who didn't act like our cat just died.

"Molly's idea, not mine." I raised both of my arms.

"Hey, you're the one who narrated it like it was some sob story directed by Clint goddamn Eastwood." Molly butted back.

"Well, it's not that sad. But it was quite a ride." Kasey chuckled. He placed the picnic basket he was holding as he patted the weeping bartender's back.

With his smile still plastered, Will walked over to me. He didn't say a thing, but simply placed a hand on my shoulder.

He may not let out a word, but I knew what he wanted to tell me just by looking at his eyes.

_I'm glad for you, to have all these wonderful friends._

My only answer was a simple smile, and a deepest thanks to him.

After a short while, I noticed I had no longer feel the warmth on my chest. Renee had let go of her grip, though her eyes were still red.

"You done?" I asked.

She nodded.

"You scared me for a while back there." I said.

"Hehe… sorry." She gave me a sweet smile. "I don't know why I did that…"

I know why, and I appreciate it.

"Just don't jump on me next time."

"Ooh, Vaughn is showing his cute side." I heard a voice ring. Apparently, Kathy had recovered, and had entered her 'annoying' mode.

"You know what trees are good for, Kathy? Hanging people. And Incidentally, I'm sitting below one right now."

"You can't scare me, cowboy. I know you have a kind heart inside that cold, steel mask you wear."

Goddamnit.

"Well, now that we have lightened up a bit, I suppose it is time to dig in." Will clapped his hands together, gaining everyone's attention.

"Agreed. I'd kill for a sandwich." Molly slowly raised her hand. It seemed her energy was near zero.

"Ask and ye shall receive." Kasey pulled out an item from the basket and tossed it to his sister. Molly laughed heartily as she successfully caught the food wrapped neatly with paper.

"Thanks, Will!" she exclaimed.

"It's nothing. Enjoy your meal."

The sun was right above us as we had a feast. Along with the wind, the sounds of chit-chats passed by my ears.

"I dunno about any of you, but I see you guys as heroes." Kathy began, nibbling on her sandwich. "The idea seems pretty cool to me. Delinquents who fought other delinquents, that's the first time I heard of it."

"More like anti-heroes. We fought fire with fire. It's just that our fire is much bigger and brighter than those rascals." Kasey responded.

"Still, that's pretty awesome. You four must be famous."

"Five, actually."

Molly's voice gained our attention. The three of us fell silent, as if she had recited a forbidden spell to doom us all.

"Five? Who's the other one?" Renee asked me, I could tell from her face that she seemed like she really wanted an answer.

"Alright, enough about us. Why don't we, uh, play hide and seek or something?" Kasey was desperate enough to change the subject that he sacrificed his pride as an adult.

"No wait, I'm curious!" the rancher girl beside me exclaimed. "Please tell me about this person, Vaughn." She grabbed my shirt, hoping to get an answer.

"We call her the Big Sister." I began, giving my comrades an apologizing look. "She's a senior during our high school days."

"Big Sister? Why did you call her that?"

"As the name implies, she was like a big sister to us." Will added. "Well, most of the time."

"Man, I don't even want to see her face anymore." Kasey sighed. "Working under her command is like a Saturday in hell. I still remember that evil, grinning face she always had." He shivered.

"I kinda miss her. I wonder if we will ever see her again." Molly nonchalantly stated.

"Please don't say another word, Molly. You're gonna jinx us."

"What? It's not like she's gonna come right here and right no-"

**BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP**

Molly was interrupted by a bleeping sound coming from Will. He fished out a cell phone from his pocket, swiftly scanning the screen to read the message he had received.

"Oh dear…"

Will's smiling face was soon replaced into a look of terror. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes wide as saucers. Just before he opened his mouth, we braced ourselves for impact.

"She's coming… the Big Sister…"


End file.
